The Iola register., 1887-03-18
TALNAGE'S SERMON.
4 Discourse to New Members at
the Brooklyn Tabernacle.
Tho Precious Memories Revived BY sscra-
mental Day--The Days When the
Righteous Shall Neither Hun.
ger Nor Thirst More.

ger Nor Thirst More.
Rev. I. Dewitt Talmage delivered .
discourse on Q recent Sabbath especially
addressed to now members Of the church,
using tho following texts to introduce his
theme:
And four thousand praised tho Lord.-lI.
Chronicles, xiii, s..
This day shall be unto you for memorial
Exodus. xii,, H.
He said: When, week before last, the
commitment membership OF this church
passed into the 40)0, now reaching 4.05l,
the first part Of my text came to my mind,
and I bethouRht myself what q grand
,, thing it would bs il the 1000 Of our COM
municant membership wouA. like the
1000 Of the ancient temple, make II their
lifetime business to praise the Lord. Let
them all take harp and timbrel and an
them and doxology.
The allusion Of nv second text is to the
Passover, which commemorated tho de-
liverance Of the children Of Israel on the
night when the destroying angel sped
through the land Of Egypt, destroying the
enemy, but saving the Israelites. because
on the door-posts Of their dwellings was
come to celebrate erandcr Passover, all
peril going away from our soul at the
sight of the sprinkle1 blood Of the Lamb
Of God on the door-posts OF our hearts.
Christ, our Passover, sacrificed for US.
Thistiay shall be unto you for a memorial,
The Sacramental Sabbath, whether It
romes in an American church or an
English chanel. or Scotch kirk. is more
impressive than any other Sabbath. Its
light is holier, calmer, sweeter; its voices
more tender; its touch is softe, !;
It's memories are more chastened.
The fruits Of the Christian life suddenly
ripen, like orchards on the hill fronting
the South. The wine Of the Holy Sacra-
nent seems pressed from the grapes OF
celestial vineyards. and the tread broken
seems to drop from the hand OF him who
parted the loaves for the 5000. We walk
to the Church Of God with more thought
full face and with quieter step. The jubi-
| liant songs Of other Sundays are struck
| through with pensiveness, and are all
\ trcmble with tears; and when. at the
,lose Of the service, at tho door we shake
hands, it is with more cordial grasp,
because we feel thrilling through our
body and mind and soul the great
doctrines Of Christian brother
| hood; and our minds 20 back
TO our forefathers celebrating
| the sacrament in times Of persecution in
Scotland among the highlands; cOmmem-
orating the dying love Of Christ while
they were pursued of their enemies, pour
ing the wine into rough wooden cups, dip
ping the waters of baptism from the
mountain rock, until one day they heard
| the voices of their enemies coming up the
hill, and the pastor cried out:
''Oh, Lord, the Shepherd, have mercy on
the sheep!"
And instantly there was q roaring heard
as of great foods, and sure enough a
cloud had burst and there were great tor
rents running down the mountain side
that whelmed their foes with sudden
wrath. What a deliverancc it was for
them on that sacramental day! Oh, that
on this sacramental day the cloud
Of Gods mercy might burst and our
sins be whelmed and our souls be saved.
This is the amethyst of days. This is the
pearl of days. This is tho diamond of
days. This is the day of days. Among
the ten thousand million ages of eternity
the first Sabbath of March, 1851, will be to
you significant and memorable, for ''this
ever "a memorial"
There is much in the scene of to-day to
impress us, because it is Il time of rein
forcemcnt. used to remark that if ever
lived to see our membership reach 4,0JD
| thought would oe willing to say with one
| of old:
Now, Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart
In peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.
h1n 4 ,,v,1 I
| SO much wanted to stay as now, so rs to
see them all enlisted for God and to watch
their victories. What might they not ac-
complish in the way of making the world
better if they were all baptized with a
portion of the Holy Ghost! Four thou
| sandl That is four full regiments, as
military men count a thousand to regi.
ment Think not one hypccriie amongst
them. Taken into tho church sometimes
| in large numbers, but each one as care.
fully examined as to change of heart and
evidence Of regeneration as though he or
| she were the only ono presenting himself
or herself. Many Of our former members
have passed away into the skies, and
have joined the Church triumphant, but
we have 1000 and moro left for the
church militant
To armsl Quityou like men! We want
no reserve corps among them. Go into
action all Of you. Some will DO officers
and command. Some will make cavalry
charge. Some will be sharp-sh ooters.
| Some will stand guard. Some will be on
picket duty. Many Of you will belong to the
rank and fle Let there be no stragglers,
none of on furlough, not one deserter.
With Christ for comm ander-in- chief, and
| the one-starred, ood-striped banner of
manger and cross lead the way, give tn q
order that the Geaeral in the war gave
! when rising in his stirrups, his hair flying
| in the wind, he cried out till all the host
, heard him:
Forward! the whole linep'
There is also something In such . scene
| TO deeply impress one, because it re-
/ hearses q death scene. Now, you know,
there is something very touching in such
| an incident. Though you are in hotel
and it is q stranger that Is dying, how
softly you move about the plaza; and il
you come up to his couch it is with uncov.
| cred head. Even the voice Of the jester
is stopped, and when the eyes of tina,
stranger are closed 1t is with emotion.
But l ars to tell you, this morning, OF
| death such as has nevsr before or since
occurred. When we die we die for our.
| selves, and the crisis is alleviated by all
beneficent ministries. Bathings for the
, hands, bathings for the head, bathings for
the feet, the light turned down low or SET
IN just the right place-all the Offices OF
affection about US when we come to die.
But not so with Jesus. He died not fol
| himself, but he diei in torment and he
died for others. He might have moved
around in gardens made by his own hand
J an earthly potentate amid vineyards and
| olive groves sloping to the sea- Instead
| of being tossed in the fishing boat on
Tiberius he might have chosen q sunshiny
4 dov and n1oa u.aVo for tho lolrn